MASONIC GRAND LODGE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 194, 12 May 1921, Page 7

MASONIC GRAND LODGE

ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

A YEAR OF PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY From Our Special Correspondent. • Auckland, May 11. ( L The Masonio Grand lodge of New I Zealand opened its annual ccmmunicaj tion in the Auckland Town Hall building this morning. The attendance was i-largo, lodges from parts of tho Dominion as far apart as Kaitaia in the far •north and Invercargill in the far south, lioing represented. Mr. Thomas Hose, of Dunedin, the retiring grand master, presided, and there were s * > , present v dignitaries Masonic -rank in ! <large numbers. Election of Officers. 'After the ceremonial opening and tho transaction of formal business, the election of grand officers for the ensuing wear took place. Otago, as the centre ■where the Grand Lodge office in located for the next twelve months, was entitled by tho peripatetic system under which the craft is governed to furnish tho grand master, and Mr. Ross was unanimously elected for another term ol •office. Similarly, Otago was entitled to provide tho principal officers of the controlling boards, and also the elective executive officers. Accordingly, on the recommendation of the Board of General Purposes, tho following were chosen: Grand treasurer, Mr. J. A. P- Fredrlc, grand registrar, Mr. W. G. Hay; president of the Board of. General Purposes, Mr E. TT. G. H. Watts; president of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. J. J. Clark. Other officers elected included: Grand chaplains, tho Rkvs A. A. ... Chandler. Otago, and Angus MacDonald, Auckland; senior grand deacons, Messrs. ■ J E. Wade, Otago, and J. L. Ching, Nelson; iuntor grand deacons. Messrs. A. H. Waring. Auckland., and E. L. Ironmonger. Ruapehu district. Other principal places of honour are within tho nomination of the grand masteivlac.t, and their announcement was dm 'ferted until evening. Finance. The statement of accounts submitted Ev tho grand treasurer (Mr. J. A. P. Fredric) showed that the cash balances of tho several funds at March 31 were fts follow-.— , £ General Fund 5.761 1 'Annuity Fund 46.£>b , Special War Benevolent Fund 12.941 Fund of Benevolence 3,65.:» ‘ 'Circular Appeal Funis Representation Fund LU I " Total 73,432 Within the year the total amount of the funds had increased by .£68,200. Work of Benevolence.

Statistics presented by the Board of Benevolence showed that 25 grants had been made during the year for the relief of casual instances of distress, to the amount of £66s—supplementary, of course, to what had been done in the same- direction by the separate lodges of the Dominion. Particulars were also given of the position of 20 special funds raised by 'way of circular appeal to ledges, to meet icnsea calling for more substantial nssisltepce. These funds, which aggregate il-£34Bt, range in amount from £356 downThe board’s report stated that nine .circular appeals had been issued In the 'wear Th'ee that had been fully snbi scribed had respectively yielded £2.>.>, i'£«s, and £338. in each instance for the 'succour of a widow. Towards die others that had been current for any length of ■time funds were in hand to the respective amount of £3-15, £•*>(>. £293, and £213, while two appeals had only’just been issued. The total sum 'raised by means of appeals during the twelve months had been £2593. Widows, Orphans, and the Aged. Tho report, which always evokes tho Jnost interest in Grand Lodge, is that of the Board of Management of the Widows and Orphans mid Aged Masons Fund, commonly known ns the Annuity Fund, inasmuch ns its interest earnings are utilised in the issue of annuities to the three classes which the official title indicates. To-days report showed that four annuitants bad died during the year, and ten new annuities had been created, making a total of 61 beneCciaues now on the roll, of whom 28 are widows. Acting upon a direction from last years •gathering of Grand Lodge, the Board ot has increased the amount »f the annuities in all cases where the circumstances of tho recipient called tor it. thus creating an additional charge of £495 per annum, and bringing a larger 'proportion of the annuities up to the maximum of .£52. A Big Subscription. i Probably tho most interesting feature hot the same report was llio portion which disclosed tho result of the special effort made during tho year to add £10,090 to '■the capital sum of the annuity fund. i'L’he returns on tho subject showed that Inp to April 12 contributions from lodges !wnd members to a total amount of £9747 jhad been remitted to the central office, [.while a number of lodges had since notiI'fied that they had still further sums to (remit. These will probably, when to .hand, bring the total up to, and beyond, fl he £IO,OOO aimed at. Details of the returns show that Auckland has provided £2353: Wellington,, £2375; (Canterbury, £1661; and Otago, £1025; the Sou thJand and Ruapehu districts coming next vriih £538 and £4BO respectively. Another 4 important fund is the special hvar benevolent fund, which has a credit balance of £12,941. Tho claims against this fund have not yet been heavy. Loans and, grants made during the years have totalled £IBB4. Expansion of the Craft. The year has been a record one as' regards the expansion of Freemasonry in New Zealand. Seven new lodges have (been opened, viz., at Oliurn, Apiti, Taradale. Eastbourne. Wellington City, Wagiganui, and Waikouaiti; charters have been granted for the opening of three {further lodges, at Tancatun, Manurewa, ; 'and AVaikaia; while steps 'have been ' taken for tho formation of yet others at Murchison, Glentunnel, Wellington City. Wellington South, Whangamoinona, and Tola go Bay. The total membership of Aim lodges of the New Zealand constitution now stands nt '17,245, an increase inf 1220 during the year. Month for Grand Lodge Sessions. It was reported by the Board of General Purposes that a vote had been taken on the question of the alteration of the time of the year for the annual communication from May to some more suitable jnonlli, and had resulted in fn'rour of November, for which 83 lodges hnd voted. There had I*™ 56 votes for February, 46 for May. and smaller votes for other months. The board submitted amendments of constitution to give effect Io this decision. A Veteran Officer. Regret was expressed by the. Board of General Purposes that Mr. Malcolm Nic<sol. who has held the office of Grand Sec-jj-etarv for over twenty years, had found it necessary to Ultimata his intonion of tendering his resignation at the present communication. Mr. Niccol has, remarks the board, rendered inestimable service to Grand Lodge, and has seen the organisation mako immense strides durhis occupancy of the Grand Secretarychip. Telegraph -Press Association. Auckland, May 11. The attendance al the annual convn-Mfiont-of tho Mawndo Grand Lodge of

New Zealand. is the largest, on record. At this morning’s sitting, reports of various lioarus were considered in detail and adopted. Christchurch was chosen lor the next, meeting. .Mr. Al. Niceol’s resignation from the office, of Grand Secretary was received, with regret. It was decided to grant him a pension of ZIOO per annum tor life. 'l'he business session was adjourned until to-morrow. Tn the ■evening Mr. T. Koss was reinstalled as Grand .Master, and other officers installed .or invested were: De-puty-Grand .Master, Mr. .1. .1. Essoti (Wellington); Provincial Grand Masters. Afessrs. Oliver Nicholson (Auckland). George Bussell (Wellington). 11. B. Bishop (Canterbury), A. lieldwilds (Otago). E. Warms (West Coast), K. W. Stiles (Nelson and Marlborough), A. B. llaggitt, (Southland), J. M. Bitehie (Hawke's Bay, If. AV. Ewing (Taranaki), .1. ft. Perri tt (Ruapehu); Grand Secretary. Colonel George Barclay; Senior Grand! Warden, Air. .T. Armstrong (Auckland); Junior Grand Warden, Mr. K. Advenzie (South Canterbury): Senior Grand Deacons, Messrs. .T. E. Wndo (West Coast) and J. L. Ching (Nelson); ■t*mior Grand Deacons, Messrs. A. IT. Waring (Auckland), and E. D. Ironmonger (Ruapehu); Grand Chaplains, Bevs. A. V. Chandler (Dunedin), and A. .MacDonald (Auckland).